This inspiring effort began during a Rotary visit to a welfare home for the physically challenged. There a group of people with disabilities (PWDs) took out a RM1 note and asked to be brought to climb Mount Kinabalu. It was not a simple request. Mount Kinabalu stands majestically at 4095 meters above sea level. Climbers face a variety of challenges including altitude sickness, fatigue and shortness of breath. The mountain weather is volatile and can deteriorate rapidly posing a real threat to even able-bodied and fit climbers. “A Climb Beyond Disabilities” was birthed to transform the dreams of the people with disabilities into a reality. The event was jointly organized by the Rotary Club of Bandar Utama and Subang USJ. This was no ordinary climb. It was meant to help the PWDs to believe in themselves and live their dreams. Climbing and conquering Mt Kinabalu was targetted to give them an opportunity to achieve significance in their lives.

The main objectives of the climb embodied the following:-

• Helping PWDs believe in themselves and live their dreams
• Showcasing the problems faced by PWDs and highlighting much needed solutions
• Raising funds for PWDs and to help their causes
• Enhancing the Rotary theme for 2012 : Reach Within To Embrace Humanity

The main sponsor for the event was Vistage Malaysia CE16 which is made up of 16 corporations. The main co-sponsor was Fusion Excel International while 99 Speedmart was the co-sponsor. Air-Asia provided round-trip tickets for the PWDs, their caretakes as well as the TV3 crews. A total of 18 PWDs from various homes were selected and shortlisted for the historic climb. These special climbers suffer from various forms of disabilities, ranging from muscular disabilities to impairment of hearing and visual senses, as well as mental impairment. These participants underwent intensive training to strengthen their bodies before embarking on the climb to Mt. Kinabalu. Despite the challenging weather and the steep ascent, many of the climbers reached the summit. “A Climb Beyond Disabilities” targeted to raise RM500,000 to be distributed to 9 selected beneficiaries. Through the generous donations and sponsorships, the final amount raised exceeded the targeted amount!